


To Build A Home

by EvieWhite



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Dysfunctional Family, F/F, Fluff and Angst, wow this idea really got away from me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-25
Updated: 2016-12-07
Packaged: 2018-09-02 00:56:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8644987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvieWhite/pseuds/EvieWhite
Summary: Multi-chapter sequel to Good Deeds and First Kisses:New girlfriends, Kara Danvers and Lena Luthor, bonded over their shared life experience of being adopted, not to mention the amazing natural chemistry and tension between them.  When volunteering at the local children's hospital, they really connect with a little girl who is struggling with serious illness, and are now anxiously awaiting her safe return from surgery. But when things don't go as planned, Kara and Lena need to find a way to be stronger together for the little girl, all while building their blossoming relationship and discovering the true meaning of family.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, Good Deeds and First Kisses (which you should read first) was only supposed to be a cute one-shot to fill a prompt and my need for sappy, emotionally supportive Supercorp but here we are! After the overwhelming response asking for a sequel or more chapters, this idea came to me and I just ran with it. Expect about 3/4 chapters. I hope you like it!

The strong, distinctive scent of black coffee fills my nose as Lena takes a sip of her drink. It's cold outside and I can see her shivering slightly in our outdoor booth at Starbucks. I pick at the rim of my peppermint latte, but don't actually drink it. My stomach is in too many knots to even think about it.

"How do you drink that stuff?" I gesture to Lena's steaming cup and she smiles, shaking her head.

"I don't, not usually anyway. I'm more of a sweet and light kind of girl, but when I'm stressed or worried only black coffee calms me down."

Reaching across the table, I squeeze her gloved fingers. Even through the thick fabric I can feel them trembling, but I know this is not from the cold. "She's going to be okay, Lena. I've never met a stronger little girl."

"Thank you, Kara." A brisk December wind tussles her dark chocolate hair around her rosy cheeks. She looks beautiful, even this stressed. "I'm surprised they haven't called yet. Daisy said the surgery would take a long time but she was supposed to call half way through with an update."

I check my watch and sigh. Lena's right, it's been a few too many hours. The whole time, Lena and I have been trying to keep ourselves busy so our minds don't wander to the worst possible scenario. We went to the park, smiling and laughing as we took turns pushing each other on the swings. We stopped at Lena's favorite bakery and got donuts. I got powdered sugar all over my nose and when Lena kissed it off I almost fainted. Now we're sitting outside Starbucks, and the terrible thoughts in the back of our minds all day are now swarming.

"Do you want to go back to my place? We could watch a movie or something?"

Lena bites her lip and shakes her head no. "Would it be okay if we went back to the hospital? I want to be there when she wakes up."

"Of course." I squeeze my girlfriend's hand again for reassurance.

After we left the hospital the other day, Lena and I came to this same booth and had a long talk. She had suspected for a while that I'm Supergirl, and the experience I had with Katie pretty much confirmed it for her. Initially, I was worried that she was only romantically interested in me because of my secret identity, but the more we talked and the more I really think about it, I know Lena is here for Kara Danvers, ALL of Kara Danvers.

The way she looks at me, with these intense, adoring bright green eyes, how she says my name when we kiss like it's a prayer, I feel it in my heart that Lena has only good intentions. A furious blush creeps into my cheeks. Well, not only good intentions... I remember the look on her face after we pulled apart, breathless, will swollen lips and wanting more. Lena looked like a shark, ready to devour me, and I would have let her if it wasn't our first date.

Shaking my head, I focus back on the present. "Where dd you go just now?" Lena asks curiously with a raised eyebrow.

Heat rises in my cheeks and I blush again, embarrassed at being caught. "Nothing." I kiss her chilled cheek. "We should go."

With a quick kiss back, Lena and I head back towards the children's hospital. I feel the tension in her muscles as we walk and hear her grinding her teeth. I hope Katie is okay...

Loud buzzing interrupts our thoughts and we pause on the sidewalk so Lena can answer it. "Daisy?"

Lena's face goes white and her whole body shakes like a leaf. Something is wrong... Lena looks at me with wide, terrified eyes and fear grips my heart. "What can we do? Yes, okay Supergirl and I will be right there. Please, just buy us a little more time!" My super hearing picks up the racing pulse of Lena's heart beat and her rapid breathing.

"What is it, Lena?" I ask even though I don't have to, Lena's face tells me enough.

"Kara, we need to go right now! Katie... she's going to die! They're going to kill her!"

"What?" my blood runs cold.

"I'll explain on the way, but right now we need to go!"

Looking around quickly, I make sure no one is paying attention to us, before pulling Lena into an ally hidden in the shadows. "Lets go." Faster than the human eye can follow, I strip down into my Supergirl uniform. "You may want to close your eyes."

I don't give Lena time to question me. I pull her tight against my chest, tucking her head into the crook of my neck so she won't get whiplash. My feet are off the ground in seconds and high above the city before Lena can blink. I feel her tense and grip me tighter, I know she's scared but this won't take long. "Hold on, baby." Lena whimpers but nods, and I know that she trusts me.

If we weren't doing this out of fear or desperation, flying together would be an incredibly intimate situation, but unfortunately it is and my mind is racing a thousand miles a minute. Soaring through the sky, I take us to the children's hospital, blood pounding my chest all the while.

I land on the roof with a light thud. Lena leans back, arms still wrapped tightly around me and head spinning. She looks sick and afraid, but also amazed. If I wasn't so worried right now, I would kiss her.

Lena regains her sense of balance and takes my hand. "We don't have much time!"

"What are we walking into?" I try to stay level headed but it's not really working.

"Kara..." tears prickle at Lena's eyes. "Katie is like you, she's an alien." What? Oh Rao... Human doctors are in no way capable of handing a sick alien child! They could kill her! That is, if they're even willing to work on her.

My muscles spring into action, one step ahead of my brain. Lena and I fly down the stairs and I use my x-ray vision to find the operating room with the young, helpless alien child. "Stop!"

The head nurse, Daisy, is practically laying across Katie's unconscious body. Doctors are yelling obscenities at each other and various monitors are screaming in warning. I break down the door completely and the chaos momentarily pauses.

"Supergirl!" Daisy cries out with tears running down her cheeks.

"What is going on here?" Lena demands. Her voice is solid and commanding, but beneath that I know she's terrfied.

"Miss Luthor." One of the doctors gestures to Katie, his eyes filled with disgust. "The girl is alien! I've never seen anything like it! All of the testing showed nothing out of the ordinary besides her illness, but when we opened her up... well look for yourself!"

Tentatively, Lena and I peer into Katie's open chest cavity. Her organs, they resemble human organs in shape, location, and size but they're all black! Lena lets out an audible gasp and covers her mouth, but quickly her resolve returns. "And what is the problem with that? She is still a person who needs medical care, so why won't you treat her?"

"She's an abomination, we should let her die on the table!"

Rage fills every fiber of me being. How dare they!? I struggle to control my primal urge to tare them to pieces. "Get out." I say evenly but with such power that the whole room crackles with it. Even Lena tenses. "I said get out. Don't make me tell you again!" I slam my fist into the concrete wall and cracks shoot all the way up to ceiling. "And if you tell anyone what you saw here, there will be no place in the entire galaxy for you to hide."

Without another word, all but two file out of the operating room. Only Daisy and a female doctor remain with Lena and I. "What can we do to help her?" Lena practically begs the doctor. "She has to be okay!"

"I...I don't know. We don't know enough about her body to continue with the surgery. I can close her up, but she'll be worse off than before."

"Do it." I say through gritted teeth. "I know someone who can help. We just need to get her stable for now." I turn to Lena, who, now that the immanent threat is gone, has allowed tears to stream down her face. Her mascara runs, leaving dark circles under her beautiful green eyes. Gently, I use my thumb to wipe it away, and channel some of my Supergirl confidence. "Hey, she's going to be okay. I need to call Alex, stay with Katie."

"Thank you." Lena whispers, her voice shaking and broken.

I pull my girlfriend into a soft hug, my go to support system. Lena squeezes me back briefly, before I have to go, and the smell of her lavender shampoo washes over me. Alex is a kickass, take-no-prisoners secret agent, but before that she was a medical professional. Her combination of alien and medical knowledge will be Katie's only chance! "I'll be right back."

My conversation with Alex is brief. I talk so fast I'm not sure she caught everything, but she got the jist and now she's preparing the DEO for Katie's arrival. I don't know what kind of alien Katie is. Hell, Katie probably doesn't know either! But I know Alex, Lena, and I can figure this out. Stronger together, right?

It took four hours, four incredibly long, difficult hours, but now the unknown alien child is stable and recovering. Alex and J'onn worked tirelessly, while Lena and I could do nothing but watch.

Lena is a genius, she doesn't exactly advertise that much but she is, and I know standing around was killing her. So we did everything we could to make the small medic room welcoming for when Katie wakes up.

Alex had me gently lift Katie onto the bed and then carefully arranged all the tubes a wires connecting her to the monitors. She looks so fragile and pale in the harsh white and red lights Alex has set up, that it breaks my heart for her all over again.

"Do you think she'll recover?" Lena directs her question to Alex but keeps her eyes glued to the girl she's come to love.

"Honestly, I don't know, but we're hopeful. She's... she's unlike any alien we've encountered before." Alex watches me carefully and I can tell she has something on her mind.

"What is it, Alex? Just tell us."

My sister takes a deep breath and says, "Katie has similar traits to an alien species known as the Avoc. Their planet was destroyed by other warring races, collateral damage, but a handful of survivors are scattered all over the known universe. However, none have ever been spotted here on earth because Avoc need infa-red radiation to thrive."

"But that doesn't make any sense, Alex. How can she be an Avoc? I saw one once, when my mother was working on their case. They were huge, with entirely pitch black eyes and red horns. I remember being scared, but my father told me that Avoc only look scary, that they're really one of the kindest races in the galaxy. Katie doesn't have horns or the eye thing?"

"That's why I think she's a hybrid... an Avoc-human hybrid."

All of the breath leaves my body. Lena notices the change in me and grips my hand to ground me, but I shiver with raw emotion. "No. How is that possible? You told me...but J'onn said... I always thought aliens and humans couldn't reproduce! I was always told that this was impossible!"

"We thought it was." Alex said softly. I try not to think of the serious implications this has for me and focus on Katie, but all of my feelings blend together into one big, confusing mess. I clench my hands into fists, feeling my nails digging into my palms. How is this real? "It's going to be okay, Kara. With all the information and resources here at the DEO, we can help her. And who better to guide a lost alien child through this world than you?"

Me? Sometimes, I still feel a little lost myself, how can I take care of a hybrid child?

"We all will." Lena says firmly, green eyes blazing with determination. "Katie is half human right? So she needs a human to guide her just as much as an alien." Lena looks at me, radiating positivity and light and I feel like our roles are reversed. "We can do this. What do you say, Kara. Want to raise a half human child with me?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, I had typed everything out and it was beautiful and then my computer decided that would be a great time to crash! So this is the second attempt, that I wrote at 12 am mind you, so I hope it's good. Thank you for reading!

Raise an alien-human hybrid with Lena Luthor? My gut is screaming to say yes, to jump up and down with joy and excitement, but the logical side of me is terrified. How could this work? We just started dating and I know absolutely nothing about raising a child. I mean, I've been told I have a natural way with children, but actually taking care of one long term is something totally forgein.

Lena is waiting anxiously, watching me with these huge, beautiful eyes. She's fiddling with the ring on her thumb, a nervous habit. She's so hopeful and excited, how could I take this away from her? I do think Lena would be great at this. On the outside she can be tough and fierce, providing the structure a child would need, but on the inside she is filled with so much light and love that needs an outlet.

"No." J'onn says as he enters the recovery room, taking away my chance to tell Lena yes.

"What?" Lena looks crushed and then indigent. "Why not?" She crosses her arms over her chest and stands tall with her shoulders back firmly. Even I would be a little intimidated. "Is it because we are two women?"

Shaking his head, J'onn takes an equally intimidating stance. "Not at all Miss Luthor. It's because this is a creature that we know absolutely nothing about, the first of her kind. She could have dangerous abilities, and I'm not willing to risk the innocent people of this city so that you can play house."

"That's not true." I put my hand lightly on Lena's shoulder to offer some support. I agree with J'onn, we don't know what she can do and that is dangerous, but Lena and I can do this together. "We do know something about her; we know that Supergirl is her hero. And she is going to need some sense of continuity through all of this. So, why don't we set Katie up here at the DEO, where she can explore her abilities safely and have guidance from Lena and I?"

J'onn tilts his head, pondering my suggestion seriously as Alex chimes in, "I think that would be the best option."

"I would still be able to visit her, right? As often as possible?"

"Of course." I say, trying to reassure my girlfriend. "We'll get you your own keycard and password, probably with restricted access to start, and you can see her whenever you want. You can't tell anyone about it though, not even Daisy." Biting her lip, Lena nods eagerly.

"Okay. Danvers, make it happen."

Lena and I breathe a sigh of relief at J'onn's words. She laces her fingers with mine, squeezing my hand. We exchange a quick glance but it says enough. Lena looks scared, but more than that she seems thrilled. Her green eyes glow with happiness and it makes butterflies flutter in my chest. "We can do this." I whisper to my girlfriend.

"Hell yeah we can."

Katie has stayed asleep this whole time. The monitors beep steadily and her tiny chest rises and falls in rhythm. The red glow from the lamps illuminates the space around her, making her look even smaller than she is. Lena smiles at the unconscious child and takes Katies's cold hand in her own warmer one. "You hear that baby, wake up soon so you can explore your new home."

"Where is she going to stay?" I direct my question to Alex who is still pouring over the medical results.

"I think, for now, she should stay in a minimum security holding cell, like the one Mon-El was in when he got settled."

"A jail cell? No way!" Lena replies sternly. "She's a child, not a criminal."

"It's not as bad as it sounds. The walls are all reinforced glass so there's no bars or anything, and there's a code needed to open the door from either side." Lena is still pouting and I can tell she's not convinced. "We can decorate it, right Alex? We can make it a dream room that any little girl would love."

"Katie will probably be asleep for a few more hours if you want to start now. It would be nice for her to wake up some place that will make her feel safe."

So that's what we did. Lena and I rushed to the nearest department store and had a blast getting butterfly sheets and dozens of children's books. For a few moments we almost forget everything terrible going on around us. When we got back to the DEO, Katie is still asleep, so we get to work setting everything up for her. Some of the bigger stuff won't be here until tomorrow, but for now we hang up happy pictures of puppies and line up stuffed animals on the bed.

"Kara, do you really think we can do this?" my girlfriend bites the corner of her lip and fiddles with her necklace nervously.

"Together, I think we can do anything." Lena rests her head on my shoulder, finally letting herself start to relax after todays events. "It takes a village right?"

"I don't remember my birth parents at all." Lena says with a heavy sigh "But when I was small, I remembered feeling loved. All my life I tried to recapture that feeling. I had it for a while with Lex, but there was always this level of competition forced on us from our parents, and you see how well that turned out. My father loved me when he was alive, at least I think he did. I know he wasn't a good man, but he was always good to me."

Lena's gorgeous green eyes well up with emotions that I don't think she's let herself feel for a very long time. Gently, I wipe the tears from her cheeks and hug her comfortingly. I'm honored that she is choosing to share this aspect of her past with me. Lena is a private person, and with good reason, so I'm truly touched that she's opening up to me about this.

"I just don't want Katie to have to feel any of the things that I did as a child. I never, ever want her to question if she's valued or loved. I'm just terrified that I won't be good at this, because it's not like I have an example of a good home to go off of."

"You have so much love to give, Lena. You are living proof that circumstance does not define who you are, and Katie is so, so lucky to have you. We both are." I finish softly and brush Lena's dark chocolate hair behind her ears. "You are incredible."

"Thank you." Lena kisses me, gently at first, but then more deeply. We melt into each other, allowing ourselves to take refuge in the other's embrace. I know one day soon I will tell her all about my childhood on Krypton, about my parents, my culture, and about the future I want now. There is no one I'd rather share my heart with.

"Kara, Lena, come quick, she's waking up!" Alex says urgently, barging through the door. My sister doesn't even bat an eye at our compromising position, instead neglecting to make eye contact. The three of us hurry to the recovery room, Lena full of nervous excitement, but I can tell by the way that Alex carries her shoulders that something is wrong.

"Get away from me!" I hear Katie yell from down that hall. "Where am I? I don't know you, don't touch me!" Screams are followed by a deafening crash, making us run even faster.

Katie is standing beside the bed, barely able to hold herself up, coughing and clutching at her chest. "Katie!" Lena runs to her side while Alex makes her way to the nurse on the floor. With strength that no human eight year old could possibly possess, Katie had thrown the nurse against the wall, leaving it cracked with pieces of rubble at our feet.

Lena drops to her knees in front of the tiny hybrid. She cradles the girl in her arms, holding her close and smoothing the hair away from her face. "Miss Lena!" Katie manages to gasp through coughs. "Where am I?"

"It's okay honey, you're safe now. I need you to look at me, okay? Just breathe." Lena easily lifts the small child back onto the bed, but she sits right next to her protectively. "No one is going to hurt you, you're safe."

Katie's hand is so small in Lena's, but I can see my girlfriend wince from the tiny alien-human hybrid's unnatural strength. Finally, Katie begins to calm down and her coughing subsides. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt him." she says as big tears well up in her eyes.

"It's okay baby" I glance back to the injured nurse. Alex is helping him to his feet, looking dazed but not seriously hurt. "It's not your fault." Katie hugs Lena tight and my heart aches at the scene before me.

"Katie, I have someone I want you to meet." Pulling back, Lena gestures to me and I step forward.

"Hi, Katie. I hear you're a very big fan of mine. I just had to meet you."

"Supergirl!" Katie's eyes light up, tears forgotten.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart."

The little girl rubs at her incision sight and winces. "I hurt all over." She whimpers from pain, but Lena kisses her forehead and Katie seems to relax. "But I'll be okay."

"You're a very strong girl, Katie. I was wondering if you could help me with something. It's very important, but it's okay if you don't know the answer. Is that okay?" Katie nods enthusiastically, eager to help. "Do you remember anything about your parents?"

Katie looks disappointed, she closes her eyes and rubs her forehead as if thinking really hard. "I don't know. I'm sorry Supergirl. My nice caseworker told me that my mommy died when I was really little and that my daddy never met me because he lived far, far away and couldn't take care of me." The poor girl's lip quivers the more she thinks about it, but then her eyes light up. "I may have something that'll help." The eight year old digs through the pockets of her hospital clothes until she finds what she's looking for. Katie holds it up triumphantly. "Does this help you, Supergirl?"

Dangling on a gold chain, a pitch black object seems to suck in all of the harsh, fluorescent light around it. It spins on the chain, glowing and pulsing with energy. Tentatively, I reach out and take it, letting it roll around in my palm. Alex is over my shoulder, examining it with cautious eyes. "It's part of an Avoc horn." I whisper to my sister. "Katie, would it be okay if I borrowed this for a little while. I promise I'll give it back."

"You pinky promise?"

"Pinky promise!" We seal the deal with our pinkies and the little girl looks more than satisfied. "I have one more really, really important question." I glance at Lena, who is practically bouncing on her toes with anticipation. "Would you like to stay here with me and Miss Lena? This is the DEO, a very special, secret place, for special people. You could have your own room, with lots of toys and books, and Miss Lena and I will visit you every day. Would that be nice?"

The eight year old folds her arms and looks at me very seriously. Lena bites her lip, anxiously waiting for an answer. "Do they have ice cream here?"

We all can't help but burst out laughing. After everything she's been through, Katie is concerned with ice cream. A girl after my own heart really. "Of course! Cookie dough is my favorite."

"Mine too!"

"Well that settles it, as soon as you get better we can all go get ice cream together."

"Deal!" Katie rubs her eyes and yawns, exhaustion clearly catching up with her. After one more good night hug from Lena, the tiny hybrid falls sound asleep.

"We should go, let her get some rest." Alex says, eyes still glued on the Avoc horn. "I want to run some tests on that."

"I think I'm going to stay for a while." Lena takes a seat next to Katie's bed. "If she wakes up, I don't want her to feel alone again." For the hundredth time I'm amazed by my girlfriend's compassion.

"We'll be in the lab, just call if you need anything, love." I kiss my girlfriend, enjoying the brief moment together, before heading out.

After hours and hours of test after test, we are still no closer to an answer. And by we, I mean Winn and Alex. They are bouncing ideas off each other, discussing concepts I haven't even heard of and geeking out of their shiny, new microscope. I am here for moral support and to make sure there is enough warm pizza to go around.

The two of them go back and forth between the microscope, the blood results, and numerous pie charts. Their heads snap up and their faces look at each other at the same exact time. "It's fighting the mitochondrial DNA!" I'm lost, as they quickly go over isotopes and the implications of antibodies. Once that initial high of solving the problem wears off, they both begin to look defeated.

"It means that Katie's body is fighting itself." Winn says with his heads in his hands. "And we have no way of stopping it."

"Can someone please explain this to the liberal arts communication major?" I don't exactly follow the science behind it, but my heart speeds at the implications of what Winn just said.

"Basically, everyone has two sets of DNA, one from their mother and one from their father, that come together to form new, unique genes exclusive to that organism. Mitochondrial DNA is exclusively from the maternal side, which in Katie's case is human. With samples from the Avoc horn, we were able to analyze the Avoc aspect of Katie's DNA with better understanding. It looks like the two parts of Katie's chromosomes are actively fighting each other. It makes sense that doctors thought it was Leukemia, but this is far worse."

"So what does this mean for Katie?"

"Well, we don't know. She is the first of her kind, so we have nothing to base this off of. It could go a few different ways. Right now, it's like Katie's body is having an allergic reaction to itself. If we could find a way to suppress that response, we may be able to help her. I'd like to consult mom on this, she is the best bio-engineer in this hemisphere." I nod in agreement, trying to process all of this new information.

"Kara!" Lena bursts through the lab door, worry and fear etched across her beautiful face. 

"What's wrong?" 

"I don't know... I can't explain it, you just have to come see."

Lena grips my hand tightly in hers, as all four of us rush to the recovery room. Katie is still sound asleep in the bed, features calm and undisturbed. I gasp when I see what my girlfriend is pointing to. Peaking out from the mess of dark hair on the top of the little hybrid's head, is the start of two, pitch black horns.


	3. Chapter 3

Lena and I sit beside the still sleeping half alien, half human child, watching the steady rise and fall of her chest for any signs of distress. The girl is lost in her dreams, blissfully unaware of what's happening in the real world around her. Over the last couple of days this more girl has been through more than most people on this planet by the age of twenty. 

"You would never know that she's sick just by looking at her right now." Lena lightly brushes her fingertips across Katie's small forehead, sweeping her dark hair away to tuck it behind her ear. Smiling softly down at the child, Lena watches her with loving eyes. "She's just a kid, she shouldn't have to go through this."

I wrap my arm around my girlfriend's strong shoulders and she relaxes into my embrace. "She's strong Lena. No matter what happens, she's going to be alright."

"You really think so?" Lena gestures to the two small, pitch black horns sprouting from the child's head. "At least you can chose who you reveal you're an alien to, Katie will have no choice. She's going to have to face so much ignorance on a daily basis, and you and I both know how damaging that can be. If she survives this that is."

"Who better to help her through this than two people who've been through similar things? Trust me Lena, it's going to be okay. Who knows, maybe J'onn and Maggie will have luck canvasing the alien community and find some more information."

Sighing softly, Lena rests her head on my shoulder, cuddling against my neck and hugging me close. The feel of her warm breath on my cool skin sends shivers down my spine. "How are we going to tell her?"

"I don't know." I answer honestly, shaking my head. "This is tricky." 

Lena laces our fingers together, seeming to examine my knuckles while deep in thought. "I just don't want her to be scared."

"Scared of what?" a small voice interrupts our thoughts and startles the both of us. With wobbly arms, Katie manages to sit up in bed. She rubs her eyes and then holds the puppy stuffed animal we got for her, close to her chest. "I won't be scared, I'm brave."

The little girl's look of fierce determination only makes me worry more. Lena looks at me for guidance, clearly unsure of how to field this one. "Katie..." I try to start but I'm just as lost as Lena. I wish Clark was here to help with this one. "Lena and I have something big to tell you."

"But it's a good thing, so you don't have to be scared or upset, okay?"

"I'm a big girl Miss Lena, I can handle it."

Lena and I exchange a quick smile, this is going to work out. My girlfriend rummages through her purse until she finds what she's looking for, a beautiful little make up mirror with a gold L etched on the back. "Supergirl and I are going to show you something Katie..."

Slowly, Lena turns the mirror and hands it to Katie. It takes the little girl a while to notice, and Lena and I wait anxiously until she finally spots them. "What are those!" Katie throws the mirror down so that she can grab at the horn nubs with both hands. Her eyes are wide and motions frantic. "Get them off!" She pulls at them in disbelief, not wanting any part of them.

"It's okay, Katie stop!" I reach out and take her little hands in mine so that she can't hurt herself. I'm surprised when she struggles against me with strength most human men never achieve. Looking into her eyes so that she knows I'm serious, I keep hold of her hands and try to explain. "Do you know where I'm from, Katie?"

Slowly, the hybrid shakes her head yes and answers in a small, scared voice. "Krypton, it's a planet far away that got destroyed."

"That's right. Do you know what that makes me?"

"An...an alien?" She looks to me for reassurance which I quickly give in the form of a smile.

"Very good! Katie, your daddy, well he came from a planet far away too. Your mommy was from earth though. They fell in love and had you, a half human half alien, amazing, smart, wonderful little girl. There's nothing wrong with you Katie, I need you to understand that." The little girl's eyes fall to the floor and then back up to Lena. "Do you understand Katie?"

Shaking her head no, her chocolate eyes overflow with tears that fall hot and fast down her round, baby cheeks. "Hey." Lena says with concern. "It's okay honey." My girlfriend scoops the hybrid into her arms and Lena settles her on her lap. "What are you thinking baby, use your words."

"I..." little sniffles and choked sobs get in the way of her talking, but Lena and I wait patiently, trying to give the child the time she needs to process this. "I'm an alien... No wonder no family wanted me!" A fresh round of pained sobs erupts from the little girl, prompting Lena to hug her tightly. Katie cries into Lena's shoulder while I rub her back, feeling awful about this whole thing.

"Katie." Lena whispers. "No family wanted me either, and I'm a human." I hear the pain in Lena's voice and she tears building in her piercing green eyes. It makes my heart ache for the both of them. "Those people who were mean to you, who didn't keep you, they're the worst kind of people. They didn't deserve you, honey. You're smart and beautiful and strong and such a good kid. You're going to find a family who loves you for you. Being an alien makes you special. Supergirl is an alien right, and I love her so, so much no matter what. I love you too Katie."

I'm the one who's crying now. Fat tear drops escape my eyes silently, at first without me even noticing. Lena is truly the most incredible person I have ever known. I love her too, with all my heart. 

"I love you too, Miss Lena."

The two of them keep hugging until Katie drifts back to sleep. Lying her gently back in bed, Lena kisses her forehead and smiles at me with sad eyes. "Well, that could have been worse."

Chuckling, I wipe the tears from my eyes. "You were amazing."

Lena blushes, casting her gaze down. "Not bad yourself." 

My phone buzzes, a welcome distraction from the heaviness of this situation. "It's J'onn, they want us to meet them upstairs. They have good news."

Hand in hand, my girlfriend and I walk up the stairs of the DEO to the main control room floor. Maggie, Alex, J'onn and someone I don't recognize are huddled in a circle talking quickly in hushed voices. The figure I don't recognize is tall, like crazy tall for a woman. She's easily 6'5 with long, flowing raven hair and a thin though muscular build. 

Alex sees us coming and quickly gestures to the others to be quiet. I can't quite read the mixture of nerves, contemplation, and worry on her familiar face. "Kara, Lena, we have someone we'd like you to meet."

"Hello." I woman says as she turns to face us. Her voice is harsh and I recognize the inflection of her accent immediately. It stops me in my tracks. "I'm Adria, Katie's cousin." Two long, spiraled, jet black horns stand proudly on top of the woman's head. Lena gasps when she sees them and stumbles a step back. I don't blame her, it's rather intimidating.

This woman is Avoc, but not fully, her irises are black but they have the white too, like a human. The alien extends a slender hand to me, which I take with caution. "Kara Zor-El, and this is my mate, Lena Luthor." I revert to using more familiar alien terms, even though it might sound weird to Lena. 

Adria seems to sense mine and Lena's trepidation and backs down slightly. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to intrude on you all like this. But when I heard other aliens where looking for an Avoc, asking questions about a half-human, half-alien hybrid, I had to come forward. Is it really my cousin, is it really Katie?" There is no mistaking the genuine fear and compassion in her eyes.

"Maggie and I were asking around the bar, canvasing the more frequented alien spots. A friend of Adria's heard us and called her. Apparently, Adria is a hybrid as well."

The tall woman nods eagerly. My father, Katie's uncle, was an Avoc and my mother was a human. I was just 17 when Katie was born, I doubt she'll remember me, but I remember her! We all thought she was lost in the war."

"Lost in the war?" I ask, narrowing my eyes. Avoc are peaceful, they never war, they barely even argue. I can feel Lena trembling at my side, not from fear but from the possible implications. 

"Avoc are not aggressive by nature, but our government can be rather ignorant. My father, and Katie's too, lead a rebellion against the government to change the old ways, only to loos and be barely escape with their loves. So they came to earth, disguised themselves as best the could, and lived among the humans. Katie was born the same day that the Holm military came and took our fathers. They killed my mother, tried to capture me, and took my father and Katie's back to our planet. We always thought Katie and her mother had been killed in the skirmish too."

"Adria has agreed to let me run some test to confirm she's who she says she is. I've already taken the samples so it won't be long now." Alex says firmly, already knowing exactly where my mind is going.

"And I'm reaching out to some foreign contacts to confirm her story regarding the war." J'onn adds.

"Thankfully, the war ended a few years ago. The rebellion won! But my father and uncle were causalities." She gets this wistful look in her eyes as she continues. "I visited Holm last year. It was wonderful! I would love to take Katie there one day."

Lena practically growls beside me. Her muscles tense and she assumes the familiar roll of powerful, not to be fucked with, CEO. "You're not taking her anywhere." Her eyes blaze and her stance is firm. If I were Adria, I would be afraid.

The other hybrid casts her eyes down, clearly wanting to avoid a confrontation. "Of course not yet. Agent Danvers told me that Katie has the sickness, I had it too when I was small."

"Wait, you had it too? But you're alive? So you know how to cure it?" I still feel cautious and protective like Lena does, but if she can help save Katie's life then we need to trust her!

"There is no cure." Lena crosses her arms and bites the corner of her lip, hard enough that I see bright red blood ooze out. She looks pissed more than anything, but I know her well enough to know that really, she's terrified. No cure means that Katie is going to die... "But I can help." Holding up her wrist, Adria takes off her bracelet and offers it to Lena, who takes it with raised eyebrows. "It's made from a mineral on Holm, and it radiate infa-red radiation to keep me healthy. I still have bad days, but they are few and far between, and for the most part I get to live my life like any other person."

Lena gazes down at the bracelet in her hands. It pulses red softly, and her sharp features seem to glow in the light. The science part of her brain is going a mile a minute, but the protective side that loves Katie and is afraid to lose her, is still stuck on Adria.

"Why don't you come with me, Adria." Alex says, able to tell that we need some time to process this. "We can finish up those test and study that bracelet a bit more."

As they head towards the lab, Lena lets her mask fall. She looks at me with these, exhausted, pleading eyes. "Is she going to take Katie away?"

"I... I don't know. I hope not." I've come to love Katie, the last thing I want is for her to be taken away. But I can't be selfish, I need to think of what's best for her. Right now, I have no idea what that is.


	4. Chapter 4

Cold winter winter sweeps Lena's dark chocolate hair to dance around her rosy cheeks, making her look like a creature of magic among the slowly falling snowflakes. Her bright green eyes are swimming with exhaustion and confusion as she hugs herself close. I lean over the railing of the DEO rooftop beside her, our shoulders pressed firmly together as we look out onto the city we both love and protect.

"It's true." I say softly, my voice barely above a whisper. Alex came and broke the news to us only moments ago, but I don't think it's sunk in for either of us yet. Adria was telling the truth, about all of it. I should be happy, I should be thrilled! Instead, I feel a heaviness in the pit of my stomach that's dragging my whole demeanor down.

Lena doesn't respond, only hugging herself closer. She tilts her chin up to the darkening sky, letting the snow fall on her pale skin. "I am a horrible for wishing it wasn't?"

"No." Wrapping my arms around my girlfriend, I pull her close. My chest is pressed to her back and I move my head so that my chin rests in the crook of her slender neck. "I feel the same way." I feel my girlfriend's shoulders start to shake and a small sob escapes her lips. "I thought this could be my opportunity to do what I was sent to earth to do. The only reason I'm here is because my family sent me to protect my cousin, but I was too late and he grew up without me. I never got the chance to guide and teach him the way I dreamed of. I thought this was the universe giving me a second chance." By the time I'm finished, my own eyes have welled up with tears and my muscles tremble from trying to hold them back.

"Kara..." Lena spins around so that she's facing me, still in my arms. Her delicate fingertips trace the outline of my jaw and ghost over my lips. "Maybe it still is?" I lean into her touch, soaking in the comfort Lena provides. "You were amazing these last few weeks. You saved her!"

"We both did." I remind my girlfriend. She always seems to find a way to belittle her own accomplishments in favor of someone else's, but she is the real hero of this story. "You gave Katie hope way before I came along. You were always there for her when no one else was. She loves you, and she is going to need someone in her corner through all of these changes."

"Do you think Adria will let us see her, because that's all I want." Taking a deep, though shaky breath, Lena wipes at the corners of her eyes and tries to pull herself together. "I was prepared to give her a home, you know? We could have done it, we really could have raised her."

"I know." I say sincerely. I press my forehead to Lena's, lost in the moment with her as snow falls in a blanket around us. "I know."

We stay like that for what feels like an hour, pressed close together and mourning over what we lost and delighted in what we've gained. I could have stayed like that the whole night.

Quiet footsteps, crunching through the snow, alert me to someone approaching long before they get there. I take the few seconds before we are interrupted to pull back and gaze at my beautiful girlfriend. "No matter what, I love you."Our kiss, though short, is deep and passionate, and without having to use her words I know Lena is saying it back.

Taking her hands, I begin to lead Lena back inside just as someone rounds the corner. The tall, imposing figure of the other hybrid makes Lena stiffen, but I squeeze her hand in reassurance.

"I'm sorry to intrude head of the house of El, but my cousin is asking for Miss Luthor. She just woke up and I don't want to scare her." I can tell by the way Adria says it that she truly cares for Katie. No matter what happens, Katie is going to have people who love her.

"Thank you, Adria." I say with a nod, conscious of the alien formalities. The hybrid dips her head, avoiding eye contact out of respect. "I think it best if maybe Lena and I tell Katie out you before you actually meet. I'm sure your anxious to be reunited, but you have to understand what Katie has been through. The girl only just learned she's part alien, and for her whole life she's been told she has no family. Lena and I have bonded with her, the news should come with us."

"Of course. I do not wish to make waves for her. I love her, I just want what's best for her."

"And are you what's best for her?" Lena says critically. She stands tall, shoulders back, brows raised, and eyes harsh.

"Yes." Adria says without hesitation. "I can give her a connection to who she truly is, to her people. Not to mention that I'm the only one with the means to help her with her illness." I know that Lena wants to argue. This must be killing her, but to her credit, she seems to be considering the hybrid's words carefully. "I am more than grateful to what you've done for my cousin, and your sacrifices will not be forgotten."

"Are you prepared to raise her, to truly care for her no matter what? There are no take-backs, Adria. Katie deserves a family who will love and support her, cherish her, make her want for nothing."

"I swear." The young woman says with such conviction that the both of us are almost taken aback. Falling to one knee, Adria holds out her arm to Lena. "I swear I will. But not alone. With your help, and the help of the house of El, we can do this together."

Lena is struggling to fight off tears as she takes Adria's outstretched arm, sealing the agreement. Visible relief washes over both of us and I'm thrilled that Adria wants us to be a part of Katie's life. "I'd be honored." Lena replies, voice firm yet lighter than it's been in a while.

Adria gets to her feet, grinning widely. I extend a hand to her as well, that heaviness in my chest slowly dissipating. "Stronger together."

"Stronger together." Adria echoes, shaking my hand firmly.

My super hearing kicks in as I pick up the sound of Katie calling out for Lena, not distressed, just lonely. "Go." I say to Lena softly. "Katie is waiting for you. I'll stay here and get to know Adria better."

My girlfriend pecks me on the lips, eyes shining bright, before she heads inside to care for the little girl, leaving Adria and I on the roof. Neither of us are affected by the cold winds and snow that seems to have picked up slightly since I first got out here. The half Avoc's horns look even darker against the soft, white snow and Adria notices me staring at them. "Will Katie's horns grow like that one day?"

Almost self consciously, Adria reaches up and touches her horns lightly. "Mine became full grown when I was sixteen. Until then, I had been able to hide them with a carefully arranged bun, but now they're too obvious. I could choose to remove them if that's what I wished, but I like them, they're a part of me."

I nod in understanding. I may be able to blend in among the humans, but parts of me are distinctly alien and I wouldn't change that for the world. I can't help but worry for Katie though, about the ridicule she might face one day should she choose to keep her horns.

Seeming to read my thoughts, Adria smiles easily. "No need to worry though, my appearance has never stopped me from leading the life I want to. Though, on the dating front, most men are intimidated by my height and physique. If they can't handle it, then they don't deserve me."

I can't help but chuckle at this. This is the kind of positive, relatable role model that Katie should look up to. "I hear that."

After a brief silence that is not exactly awkward, but close enough, Adria fiddles with her bracelet and looks down. "About Katie... I don't currently live in National City, but I work from home so I'm thinking of relocating. I'd like her to live with me here, in a place that she's familiar with where she already has other family."

"I think that would be for the best." I say softly, trying not to show just how excited I am at that. "But before anything, we need to get her healthy."

"Back on Holm, our home planet, the sun is red and infuses it's energy with the rocks there. On earth, we don't have that natural infa-red which helps balance our bodies. If I didn't get this bracelet, I would have died before the age of ten."

"How can we get Katie one?" My brief happiness is eclipsed by the thought of Katie downstairs, I can hear her coughing in Lena's arms. "She's getting worse every day."

"My grandmother on Holm sent me mine. They know more about the illness there because it occasionally happens with any Avoc hybrid, human or not. I can contact her to send another. She will be thrilled to learn that Katie is alive! I myself still can't believe it."

"How long will that take?"

"A earth month at most. I think Katie can last that long, providing she stays here under the care of your sister. She seems very capable."

"She is." I say with confidence. Alex really is the best at what she does, especially when fusing her medical and alien knowledge to save the day.

On that note, the two of us head back inside the DEO, definitely more comfortable with each other than before. Tuning into my superhearing, I can make out the beautiful sound of Lena's voice reading a children's book to Katie, who seems to be eating it up. It's a beautiful, pure moment between the two of them, and I can't resist using my x-ray vision to see them.

They are the picture of perfection, curled up under the butterfly sheets with Katie looking at the pictures with wide, amazed eyes, and Lena watching the girl lovingly. I always knew I wanted a family, but seeing it laid out so clearly makes my heart ache in the best of ways. Katie may not be ours, but she clearly has a place in both of our hearts. You don't need to be blood to be family.

Once the story is over, Katie begs Lena to read it again, but my girlfriend puts the book away and a slightly nervous expression takes over her features. I pause with Adria, outside the door, I don't want to interrupt this important moment. 

"Katie honey, you know I love you very much, right?"

"I love you too, Miss Lena!" Katie looks up at her with adoring eyes. 

Taking a deep breath, Lena steadies her shaking hands. "You know how I said the other day that those other families weren't meant to be, that you were better than them and that it didn't work because something better was waiting for you?"

Katie nods eagerly. "A family with you and Supergirl?"

I can hear the way Lena's breathing hitches and how her words catch in her throat. "We love you so, so much Katie, and we are a family now, but there is someone else who loves you very much and is waiting to meet you... You have a cousin Katie. She is like you, part human part alien."

"I have a cousin?" The little girl seems to chew on the word, spinning it around in her head in confusion. 

"Yeah, and she wants you to be together."

Katie doesn't say anything for a while, just looks at Lena with wide eyes and squeezes her stuffed puppy to her chest. "What if she doesn't like me? What if she doesn't let me see you?"

"She's going to love you sweetheart! And you have nothing to worry about, Supergirl and I would never let anyone take you away from us or anything bad happen to you."

"Okay." Katie says softly. "I want to meet her."

Lena kisses the little hybrid's forehead, closing her eyes and enjoying the last moments with her before getting up. Once she closes the door behind her, Lena leans against it for support, clearly anxious after that conversation. Adria bows her head, a look of nerves and excitement on her sharp features. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Just don't ruin this."

Lena and I give the long lost family time to reconnect, staying just outside to keep an eye on the little girl we've come to love. I tell Lena everything Adria and I discussed, and a weight seems to lift off her strong shoulders. "We could be the cool aunts." Lena jokes. "Spoiling her rotten and having sleepovers." More than anything, we just want her in our lives and what's best for her. 

"Who would have thought?" Lena says with a chuckle. "A Luthor and a Super, working together and falling in love." She laces her fingers loosely in the hair behind my neck, making my skin tingle. Joy and hope are clear in her kryptonite eyes as she gazes at me lovingly and it makes my knees weak.

"All because of an eight year old." I say, laughing back light heartedly. My hands grip her waist, traveling to the curve of her back and tugging her close. "But we would have found our way to each other eventually." 

"Eventually, but not soon enough." I can feel Lena's pulse racing and her breathing become erratic, causing my own to match hers. She's so beautiful, so so beautiful. "And just for the record, there's no one else I would have rather taken this journey with. I know we have a lot more to go, but I love you Kara. I love you so much."

My chest explodes with pure light and happiness. "I love you too, Lena. More than I ever thought possible." It's true, I've never felt this kind of romantic love before and it takes my breath away, she takes my breath away.

We don't know exactly what the future holds, but I know we will take it on together, with a tiny half human half alien little girl along for the ride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow guys, thank you so much for reading! This was the last official chapter and I will be posting an epilogue soon. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. I know this idea kind of got away for me, but thank you for sticking with me and reading! I really appreciate your support.


	5. Epilogue

5 years later:

The yellow sun beams down brightly on the unlikely group of us, casting a glare through the numerous photos I am struggling to take. The star of this photo-shoot is bouncing around on her toes, a habit she's picked up from me, and she keeps glancing back at the large, intimidating building behind her.

"Aunties, stop it! You're embarrassing me!" Katie scowls as I take yet another picture and my fiancé steps in to photobomb. "Oh my god! You guys are ridiculous." The thirteen year old crosses her arms, but the wide smile across her face lets us know that she's eating this up.

"Come on kiddo, you only get one first day of high school." Lena wraps the young alien hybrid in a tight hug, kissing the top of her head like she's done almost every day since Katie came into our lives. Now that the girl stands all the way at Lena's shoulders, this action is getting harder and harder, but the day my partner stops would be the day hell freezes over.

"What if no one likes me?" Katie bites her lip nervously, looking up at one of her mother figures. "What if they find out…" She adjusts her bun self-consciously, making sure it's hiding the two pitch black horns that have sprouted there.

Gently, Lena takes Katie's hands and moves them back down to her sides. "Sweetheart." Looking at our little girl like she's the whole world, Lena sighs and squeezes her hands tight. "You are going to have an amazing day, but if you don't, you know Kara, Adria, and I will be waiting with Chinese food and ice cream."

"Sounds good Auntie." Katie hugs the CEO close, whispering, "Thank you" before pulling up and turning to face her new school.

Placing a firm hand on her shoulder, I decide it's time to tell her some very good advice that someone very important told me years ago. "Remember Kate, if someone does find out, own your power. You are strong and beautiful and you can have anything that you want to, you just have to take it."

"Thanks Auntie Kara. I love you." The half human half alien hybrid and I hug tightly, and I don't ever want to let go.

This is going to be one of the most confusing, difficult times of her life, and I need her to understand that her family will be behind her every step of the way. "I love you too, baby."

"Okay kiddo, go get em'." Katie quickly hugs Lena again, and then her cousin Adria, whom we've also come to love.

She takes a deep breath before walking confidently into the crazy world of high school. "They grow up so fast." Lena whispers with teary eyes. She rests her head on my shoulder, leaning into my embrace.

"I know." I miss the days when she was small, after she got better, when she was little enough for Lena to lift onto her shoulders when we went hiking. I miss how whenever she had a bad dream she would call us, no matter what time it was, to hear stories about Krypton or Lena's new projects until she felt safe enough to fall asleep.

I'm incredibly proud at how far she's come, and I know her future is filled with endless possibilities, which makes me insanely scared yet excited for her. I just love the little one so much it hurts sometimes. I'm constantly torn between wanting to protect her and trusting her to make the right call without my guidance. Katie is an amazing kid, and I'm so lucky to have her in my life.

"Too fast." I look at my fiancé, gazing into her brilliant green eyes that still have the ability to me melt after all these years. Gently, I brush my fingertips over the flat expanse of her abdomen. "Maybe we could start from the beginning?"

I watch the realization of what I'm suggesting dance across her face, first confusion, then fear, before she finally settles on what I know to be love. "Really?"

"Really."


End file.
